Folding Knife Handle with Non-Circular Locking Element
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing folding knives are difficult to disassemble, especially in harsh conditions, making it challenging to clean, sharpen, or replace blades without complex mechanisms or tools.
Innovation Solution
A folding knife design featuring a handle with laterally spaced side portions and a pivot element, where a non-circular locking element allows for easy disassembly by rotating between locking and release positions, enabling the blade to be removed without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a removable blade mechanism is implemented in a folding knife, then the ability to clean, sharpen, or replace the blade is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The knife is divided into separable components (handle with first and second side portions, blade, locking element) that can be easily disassembled and reassembled. The locking element can be removed from the handle, allowing the blade to be accessed and maintained without complex tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is extracted as a separate removable component from the handle assembly. This extraction allows the blade to be removed and maintained independently, providing easy access for cleaning, sharpening, or replacement without disassembling the entire knife structure.
2Ease of operation
If a simple disassembly mechanism is used, then the ease of blade removal is improved, but the reliability of the locking mechanism deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking element features a non-circular cross-section that mates with a corresponding non-circular opening in the handle. This asymmetric geometry provides positive locking engagement that is both reliable during use and easily reversible during disassembly, as the asymmetric shape allows the locking element to be inserted and removed in a controlled manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is designed to be dynamically removable and reinsertable without tools. The non-circular cross-section allows the locking element to be easily inserted into and removed from the handle by manual manipulation, providing both reliable locking during operation and easy disassembly for maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A folding knife includes a handle and a blade pivotably coupled to a distal portion of the handle. The handle includes first side portion including a first locking portion laterally offset from a first main body and second side portion including a second locking portion laterally offset from a second main body. The first side portion is configured to rotate about the pivot axis between a locking configuration where the first locking portion is disposed between the second main body and second locking portion, an opening in the second locking portion and a recess in the first locking portion are aligned, and a locking button is disposed within the recess and opening, thereby restricting relative movement of the first and second side portions, and a release configuration where the locking button is pushed out of the opening, thereby allowing relative movement of the first and second side portions.